The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-17
THE WITCH'S HEAD.
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD.
CHAPTEH V.
EvA's PROMISE.


bacl, to Dum's Ness, Mr.. Cardus received him
with his usual semi-contemptuous GOODNESS, a
mental attitude tlat often nearly drove the
young fellow wild with modification. Not
that Mr.. Cardus really felt any contempt for
him now, he had lost all that years ago when
the boy had been so anxious to go and "earn
his bread" but he could never forgive him
for being the son of bis father, or conquer his
inherent dislike for him. On the other hand,
he certainly did not allow this to interfere
with his treatment of the lad; il anything in
deed it made him more careful What he
spent upon Ernest, that same sum he spent
upon Jeremy, pound for pound; but there
was this difference about it, the money he
spent upon Ernest he gave from love, and
that oil Jeremy from a sense Of duty.
Now, Jeremy knew all this well enough,
and II made him very anxious to earn his
own living, and become Independent of Mr..
Cardus. But 1t Is one thing to be anxious to
earn your own living and quite another to do
it, as many poor wretch knows to his cost,
and when Jeremy set his slow brain to con.
slider how he should go about the task it quite
failed to SUPPLY him with any feasible idea.
And yet he did not want much; Jeremy was
not of an ambitious temperament. II he
could earn enough to keep a cottage over his
head, and find himself in food and clothes and
powder and shot, he would be perfectly con-
tent Indeed, there were to be only two sine
qua mons in his ideal occupation IL must adj
nit Of considerable amount OF outdoor ex-
ercise, and be OF such a nature as would per-
init him to see plenty of Ernest. Without
more or less Of Ernest's company, life would
not, he considered, be worth living.
For week or more after his arrival home
these perplexing reflections simmered inces-
sanity inside Jeremy's head, till at length
feeling that they were getting too much for
him, he determined to consult his sister,
which, as she had three times his brains, he
would have done well to think Of before.
Dolly fixed her steady blue eyes upon him,
and listened to his tale in silence
sand so you see, Doll"-he always called
her Doll-he ended up, "rm in regular fix.
don't know what I'm fit for unless it's to
row boat, or let myself out to bad shots to
kill their game for them. You see l must
stick on to Ernest, l don't feel somehow as
though could get along without him; if it
wasn't for that I'd emigrate. should be just
the chap to cut down big trees In Vnncouver's
Island or brand bullocks," he added medta-
lively.
nYou are a great poose ,Jeremv vas bis
| sisters comment. He looked up, not as in
any way disputing her statement, but merely
| for further information.
@You are great goose, say. What do
| you suppose that have been doing nll these
three years and more that you have been
rowing boats and wasting time up at collegel
I have been thinking, Jeremy"
eyes, and so have l, but there is no good in
thinking
"No, not II you stop there; but I've been
! acting too. I've spoken to Reginald, and
made plan, and he has accepted my plan"
| "You always were clever, Doll you've got
all the brains and I've got all the size, )" and he
surveyed as much as he could see Of himself
ruefully.
"You don't ask what have arranged" she
said, sharply, for in alluding to her want Of
stature Jeremy had touched a sore point.
81 am waiting for you to toll me-"
"Well, you are to be articed to Reginald"
30 Lordl" groaned Jeremy, ~ don't like
that at all"
"Be quiet till have told you. You are to
be artclcd to Reginald, and he is to pay you
an allowance of hundred n year while you
are articled, so that if you don't like it you
needn't live here"
"But don't like the business Doll; l hate
1t; it is n beastly business; it's DEVILS busi-
ness"
al should like to know what right you have
to talk like that, Mr.. Knowall! Let me tell
you that many better men than you are con-
tent to earn their living by lawyers work. I
suppose that man can be honest as a lawyer
as well as in any other trade"
Jeremy shook his head doubtfuly. ats
blood sucking" he said energeticaly.
"Then you must suck blood" she answered
with decision. "Look here, Jeremy, don't be
pig headed and upset all my plans. II you
fall out with Reginald over this he won't do
anything else for you. He doesn't like you,
you know, and would be only too glad to pick
a quarrel with you IL he could do it with a
clear conscience, and then where would you
be, should like to known
| Jeremy was unable to form an opinion as
to where he would be, so she went on:
@You must take it for the present, at any
rate. And then there Is another thing to
think Of Ernest is to go to the bar, and un-
less you become a lawyer, il anything hap
pened to Reginald, there will be nobody to
give him a start, and I'm told that is every
thing at the bar"
argument.
at is precious rum sort Of lawyer shall
make" he said, sadly, "about as good as
, grandfather yonder, I'm thinking. By the
way, how has he been getting onl'
"Oh, Just as usual, write, write, write all
day. He thinks that he is working out
his time He has got new stick now,
on which he has nicked all the months and
wears that have TO run before he has done,
little hicks for the months and big ones
for the years There are eight or ten big
ones left now. Every month he cuts out
nick. It is very dreadful You know he
thinks that Reginald is the devil and he hates
. him. too The other day, when he had no
writing to do in the office, found him draw
ing pictures Of him with horns and a tail,
such awful pictures, and l think Reginald
always looks like that to him. And then
sometimes he wants to go out riding especi-
| ally at night. Only last week they found
him putting a bride on to the gray mare, the
one that Reginald sometimes rides, you
know"
sWhen did you say that Ernest was coming
backi" she said, after pause
"why, Doll. l told you-next Monday
: week"
Her face fell little. "Oh, thought you
4 said Saturday"
d HWhy do you want to knowl"
@Oh, only about getting his room ready"
"Why, it Is ready; looked in yesterday,
sNonsense you know nothing about it,
she answered. coloring. "Come wish you
would go out; want to count the Linen and
you are in the way"
Thus adjured, Jeremy removed his large
form from the table on which he had beer
!, sitting, and whistlng TO Nails, now very
ancient and preternaturally wise dog, set of
for a walk He had mooned along some little
= way, with his hands in his pockets and hi
eyes on the ground, rejecting on the unpleas
ant fate In store for him as an articled clerk
continually under the glance Of Mr.. Cardus
rowing eye, when suddenly he became awar,
. that two ladies were standing on the edge Of
= the cliff within dozen yards Of him. HI
would have turned and fed for Jeremy haC
a marked dislike TO ladies' society and I
strong opinion, which, however, he never ex
pressed that women were the root of all evil
but, thinking that he had been seen, he fearet
that retreat would appear rude In one o
the young ladies, for they were young, h
recognized Miss Florence Ceswick who to al
II appearance had not changed in the leas
re since, some years ago, she came with he
aunt to call on Dorothy, There were tn
same brown hair, curling as profusely a
ever, the same keen brown eyes and ripe lips
the same small features and resolute expires
sion OF face. Her square figure had, indeed
ID developed little. In her tight fitting dres
m II looked almost handsome, and somehow it
very squareness, that most women woul
have considered defect, contributed to tina
40 air OF power and unchaaging purpose tina
=" would have made Florence Ceswick remark
able among hundred handsomer women
a I..li. L.. u.